Opinion: How our generation is using social media for the better

It seems that every single time we turn on the news these days, you want to turn it off right away. There’s never anything good going on.

Death of George Floyd. Death of Breonna Taylor. Concentration camps in China. I could go on and on.

But, even though these tragic events have been continuously and redundantly happening in America, it is up to us to make sure that we can use our voices and speak up for what is right.

In the past when these types of events occurred, not everybody had the opportunity to voice their opinions. Our generation is capable of so much because we have access to so many social media outlets such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and so much more. From the comfort of our own homes and with a touch of a finger, we are able to use our voice and speak up for ourselves and what we believe is the right thing.

But is that enough?

Many people think that addressing such serious situations by sitting at home is not enough. By posting on social media, we are simply just informing others which is valuable.

However, to want to change a situation takes a lot more than that. Going to protests and signing petitions are examples of ways that we can evoke change within our communities and nation.

Many people use social media positively and negatively for other reasons. Social media has allowed many people to say what they would normally never say in front of anyone in person. According to Pew Research Center, users view social media as places where they can say things they would never say in person, whereas others believe it’s a place people are afraid to speak their minds because they fear criticism.

Through social media, we have the ability to share videos or news that could have never been seen or heard. We can set up protests to come together and stand up for what is right.

The difference between the last generations and this generation isn’t the events that are happening. The injustice, prejudice, racism, etc. has been happening for centuries. The difference is the fact that it is being recorded and it is up to us to use our tools to do our part.